Starfall

The Oxford Book of Magick #1

by Jamie Cass

'RICH AND IMAGINATIVE' ANTHONY HOROWITZ
'AN IMMERSIVE DREAM OF A READ' KALIE REID
'A FINE ACHIEVEMENT OF IMAGINATION AND STORYTELLING' SIMON SCARROW

An electrifying dark academia fantasy set in an alternate Britain from an exciting new voice in fantasy.

Oxford, 1830.
London is a smouldering ruin.
Tension is rising between humans and fae.
And a red star burns overhead.

War has left Britain broken and bleeding. The Industrial Revolution has driven the fae courts into the light. Oxford, now the capital, is a city on the brink, haunted by whispers of apocalypse.

Aria came to study magick under the brilliant Professor Ashcroft. But her hunger for knowledge is dangerous, and her power even more so. When attacks erupt across the city, Aria and Ashcroft are pulled into a conspiracy that could shatter the fragile peace between human and fae, and unleash a dark magick which could bring the country to its knees.

Aria's powers may be the kingdom's last hope . . . or its ruin.

The first book in a dark, atmospheric trilogy perfect for fans of Babel, Blood Over Bright Haven and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.

Genres: Fantasy, Dark Academia, Adult, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fae, Historical Fantasy

480 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 7, 2027

Reviews

[mo • lesmotsdemo · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

An ambitious and well-crafted debut. It definitely felt like it was written with experience and ease, the author’s writing was more complex than I expected. But it fit the dark academia setting quite well. The world-building was deep, rich and layered. The plot was interesting, though weaker than the world-building for me. And it was really slow-paced. I believe it did some harm to the plot. Some chapters were awfully long (one of them, at least, was almost 50 pages long) and it’s only a matter of preference but shorter chapters are more pleasant to read. As for the characters, the main girl was fine even though she felt under-developed at times. Some other characters were more developed than her. And I didn’t like the glimpse of a possible romantic relationship. I’ve been told this book was a dark academia fantasy so I didn’t expect (nor want) this. It didn’t lead anywhere in this book, but this is the first book in a trilogy…
Overall, the author’s storytelling and world-building were masterful but the characters were lacking a little bit of depth. However, it was a promising debut novel, and I definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a dark academia fantasy with a fae twist on it.

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

[Terry Rudge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super ambitious, balls to the wall debut! Jamie Cass comes out swinging and throws his name into the ring as the newest fantasy phenom.

This book is a blend of fantasy, thriller and mystery, with our main protagonist Aria going through the absolute mill as she learns about Magick and the horrors of a world filled with secrets, darkness and lies.

She pairs up with the mysterious and genuinely awe inspiring Professor Ashcroft as the world around them begins to change, with enemies, danger and death seemingly hiding around every corner.

I really enjoyed Ashcroft as a character. He was the perfect blend of master and oracle, teaching both Aria and us as readers through his lessons. There was something really compelling about having a character who clearly knows far more than he's letting on.

Aria, on the other hand, was hard work at times. I hate naivety in characters, especially when they're making mistakes that seem painfully obvious, and Aria does this aplenty. 😂

That said, it does fit the story. She's completely new to everything she's experiencing, so her naivety makes sense within the narrative. It just doesn't mean I didn't want to occasionally grab her by the shoulders and give her a little shake.

The world building and Magick system were phenomenally done. It's incredibly fresh and really captivated me. The grandeur of Oxford provides an amazing backdrop, combined with some fantastic lore and a deep history to the world Jamie Cass has created.

I will say this book is a grower. Give it time!

The first 25% was captivating, but I didn't find the prose quite as sharp as it becomes later in the book. There is A LOT to absorb, and it takes a little while for everything to settle into place.

It actually reminded me of how I felt reading Ryan Cahill's first book. Setting the initial scene and introducing an entire world is bloody hard. But once the author gets you properly into their world and the story starts to take hold, the novel lifts off. 🚀

And that's exactly what happened here.

Overall, this is a really strong debut. Jamie Cass writes with purpose and intent and is brave and dogged in his approach. That's something that deserves a huge amount of kudos.

An ambitious debut with a seriously interesting world, a fresh Magick system and plenty of potential.

Looking forward to Book 2.

[Amanda Blanche]

I was lucky to receive an e-ARC of this debut novel releasing in Jan 2027.

I want to start by saying that I think I misunderstood the general tropes because I thought it would be romantasy - to me, this definitely isn’t that. It’s a historical fantasy set in Oxford 1800s with a complex world building and political intrigue set up with a murder mystery like element.

That being said, I was maybe a bit “meh” because I had set my expectations elsewhere. Historical fantasy also isn’t my favourite genre/trope. But I will say it is well written with a lot of creative ideas. Maybe sometimes a little too many ideas, it gets a little kitchen sink at times for me - so if you are reading for vibes, maybe not your cup of tea - but if you are into the world building and plot - maybe more up your alley.

[Quinn Coltaire · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for the advance copy.

I really wanted to like this book. Based on the description and the cover, I expected something more "dark academia" and less "YA urban fantasy wearing the aesthetics of dark academia".

The biggest craft weakness I noticed throughout was the pattern of "show and then also tell"; leaving no room for subtext, ending so many paragraphs with an, imo, redundant sentence repeating plainly what could've been already easily inferred. Or adjectives after "said", or multiple instances of "Aria said. And she meant it." All these felt to me like the story anxiously overexplaining, not trusting the reader.
For a debut novel, though, I would've ignored these issues.

Unfortunately, the two characters who frustrated me the most were the protagonist and the villain.

My frustration with Aria really just stems from the plot's need to make her lose all self-awareness to manufacture tension: lying and violating someone's privacy multiple times, then not only being indignant and angry when she learns that that person might have doubts about trusting her, but the story seems to invite us to feel for her in this. As opposed to acknowledging that she earned that distrust.

The villain... Their motivation seemed to change and shift from scene to scene. At first I thought the story might go for the "the villain's grievance against an unjust system makes too much sense, so the story discredits it by making them go too far and hurt civilians" trope. Then it seems like they might just be unhinged, their motivation pathologised. But the final reveal made me write the note: "I'm sorry, this is a cartoon".

The rest of the cast was okay, I didn't have strong feeling about them one way or the other.
Actually, I did like Scail a lot at first, but eventually she proved to be pretty one-note.

The premise is very imaginative and there is genuine, visible work put into crafting this alternate history fantasy world. I appreciated that the book didn't sweep under the rug the everpresent threat of the suffocatingly patriarchal/misogynistic society of the time.

Even though I was excited at the start, I think having the wrong expectations for what kind of story this would be soured me on the experience and made it a struggle to finish.

[Atheina Vismark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher Hodderscape and the author Jamie Cass for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review, all opinion are my own.

Now while I've never seen Oxford in real life, I dare think for a moment that the pen of Jamie Cass was swift enough to drop me with a touch of magic amidst the streets of Oxford in the 1830s. The atmosphere encountered? Splendid, it felt like walking around the roads of the second oldest university in the world, but with the details that it's not only us humans roaming it, but magical beings of all forms and sizes.
From the Highborn Faes to plain humans, each species was a wonder to read about (I still want to know more about Scail and why exactly Aria can see what she sees) and each lesson Aria had with Ashcroft, who by the way is hands down my favourite character made this book an actual Dark Academia book, where we have lessons that act felt like being back in the classroom, both with Professor Roberts and Professor Ashcroft, who with different methods have been teaching out main protagonist how to harness and utilise her powers.

Our main character Aria had it tough, from a country girl living with her family on the Isle of Skye to being the sole witness to her best friends murder on the hands of a magical being, a Kelpie. But instead of being heard, the Laird decides that the fault of his son's death lies within her, and after labelling her a witch she flees everything she's ever known and lands into the busy Oxford, new capital of the Brits after London was burned to the ground decades before.

While I appreciated Professor Ashcroft and his fox-headed cane in an ungodly way, Aria didn't have the same effect on me as he did. While I like her she made some really poor decision as the book went on that made me think twice about her actions and line of thought. Mostly about her deal with Scail (don't get me wrong I love that little devil bit that doesn't mean that Aria shouldn't have told Ashcroft about it, it would have saved both of them a lot of hassle) and how she treated the people around her, both adults and fellow students. An example being how she approached Henry and Little Lucy. And this is not the only reason why I decided at the end to not rate this book 5 stars. The second reason laid with the pacing, which around the middle became too much slow, and while I appreciated the pen I believe that this book could have been shorter had we cut some scenes around the 50% mark and make the flow and pacing quicker.

Will I read book 2? Absolutely yes I can't wait for Cass to write book 2, and THANK YOU FOR NOT GIVING US A LOVE TRIANGLE.

4.1⭐️

[Lauren Easey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jamie Cass I am now officially a fan of yours. This book gave me the same feeling I got when I read Babel, The Raven Scholar, and Blood Over Bright Haven. That feeling of knowing a book is going to be a firm favourite within the first 50 pages. The research that has gone into this is exceptional, the storyline has so many intricacies and the characters are interesting and multi-faceted. I love love love a fantasy with a detective/mystery element, and this perfectly fits that brief, and being set in an alternate history Oxford adds such an interesting element. There's enough of the real Oxford to be recognisable, but enough changes to make it intriguing.

I love Aria and Ashcroft, and I like how Aria's opinion changes based on what she experiences. She grows massively as a character throughout the book, and Ashcrofts slowly revealing history and building relationship with her shows a character development from him too.

I also adore the structure of how the information is fed to us, everything feels perfectly planned and the outcomes making full sense, which really shows that the author has thought everything through. I was surprised by developments but when I thought back it all made sense.

This book captured everything I love about fantasy. It's well written, full of intrigue with deeply developed characters and elements, and at times dark and brutal. I'm so excited for it to be released and to become a smash hit.

5 STARS FROM ME!! Thank you to Netgalley and Hodderscape for the free review e-arc!

[Daniel Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly thank you to both NetGalley and Jamie Cass for allowing me the opportunity to have an eARC of this book.

The book is this wonderful blend of what I can only describe as female, Scottish Oliver Twist type character, meets a dark academia inspired world full of interesting characters and magic system. It has cadences of Scottish mythology and folklore woven in too that I really enjoyed as well as other aspects that I felt both new and familiar all the same time. Starfall has definitely made it up there with some of my all time favourite reads and certainly is top five of the year. I especially enjoyed the odd bonds formed between Aria and Scial, and Ashcroft and Aria. Already looking forward to the next book!

[Mimi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The opening scene pulled me in completely. It was atmospheric and gave me a sense of foreboding, as though something sinister was brewing beneath the surface. I couldn’t wait to get lost in the story.

Unfortunately, after about a fifth of the book, I started to lose interest.
I found the worldbuilding strangely underdeveloped in some areas, while other things felt far too overexplained. The magic system was fascinating in concept, and I loved the premise, but by the end, I was still confused about how it actually worked.

As I understood it, magick is practised in secret. But if that’s the case, how is there an entire department where students can study it? How are these students selected, and how do they keep the public from finding out what’s going on?
Also, if every human is capable of practising magick and it awakens through traumatic experiences, how are there not more magick users? Shouldn’t the poorest people have more individuals who awaken to their gift, given the awful conditions they live in and their daily exposure to death and disease? How is it, then, that most practitioners seem to be highborn, nobles, and the generally well-off?
These questions were never really addressed, which made it difficult for me to understand the world and how it operated.

I also struggled to believe how quickly Aria progressed in her studies. When Ashcroft asked whether she knew how to read, she explained that she could read well enough because a friend had taught her. I took that to mean her reading skills were fairly basic. As I understood it, she hadn’t received much formal education either, although perhaps I misinterpreted that part. Either way, I found it hard to believe that she could work her way through huge textbooks so quickly, learn so much from scratch, and still rank among the top students in her class. How was that even possible?

Another thing that bothered me was how Aria seemed to aqua her way out of every dangerous situation she encountered. It reminded me of Harry Potter’s tendency to rely on the Expelliarmus charm. After a while, this repeated solution started to feel a little predictable.

Unfortunately, I also struggled to feel any real connection to the characters. They came across as rather bland and, ultimately, failed to leave much of an impression on me. Aria’s naivety sometimes frustrated me, particularly how she seemed to turn into a blushing, lock-twirling schoolgirl whenever she encountered a male student.

There were also quite a few moments when events seemed to happen simply to move the plot forward, rather than developing naturally from the story. These moments felt forced and left me questioning their purpose. And then there were situations that seemed significant at the time, only for them to never be addressed or explained again, leaving me wondering what the point of them had been in the first place.

I still don’t understand why Henry and Aria had to dress up in evening attire for that dinner meeting when they spent the entire time talking to only each other. They could just as easily have met somewhere else. It felt more like an excuse to put Aria in a gown than something the story actually needed.

I was equally confused by Henry’s motivations. Why did he do what he did? Was he evil and seeking revenge, or was he possessed and therefore more of a victim than a villain? I never quite managed to make sense of his actions, which made it difficult to understand his role in the story.

There are so many more questions and observations I have, but this review is getting too long as it is.

On a more positive note, I enjoyed the writing style, and the book was an easy read. The magic system was intriguing, and the story had a lot of potential. I’m just sad that the execution didn’t quite live up to that potential for me.

That said, I do think this is a promising debut with plenty of room to grow. While Starfall didn’t entirely work for me, I can appreciate the ideas behind it, and I’m curious to see how the author develops as a writer.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[FablesUnderMoonlight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starfall left me feeling rather conflicted. I love the idea of an alternate-history Oxford filled with magic, faerie politics, mysterious cults and all sorts of supernatural trouble. It's an interesting blend of genres, and the world itself has plenty going for it. In fact, there were quite a few moments where I thought I'd probably enjoy reading an entirely different story set in this world.

Unfortunately, I spent much of the book waiting for it to really get going.

For something marketed as dark academia, I wanted a little more of the academia itself, beyond the setting and atmosphere. The writing was also rather descriptive, often spending a surprising amount of time on things that didn't seem to serve much purpose, while other developments I actually wanted to know more about received relatively little explanation. Somehow, the book managed to feel both overexplained and underdeveloped.

I struggled with the relationships for similar reasons. There are some interesting conversations between Aria and Henry about their political affiliations and potentially subversive ideas, but those never really develop into anything substantial. Neither does the romance, at least not enough for me to become particularly invested. When the eventual betrayal happened, I understood why it was supposed to matter, but I hadn't really felt the connection that would have made it hurt.

My biggest frustration, though, was probably Aria's place in her own story. She's presented as unusually gifted, quick to learn and capable of forming magical connections others can't, yet she spends an awful lot of time being told she's wrong, too emotional, too kind, arrogant or simply in need of getting out of the way.

Ashcroft was particularly frustrating in that regard. When he makes mistakes, he gets to explain his reasoning or how he misinterpreted something. When Aria does, she gets corrected. I don't mind flawed characters, or even characters who are completely unreasonable, as long as their behaviour makes sense within their own worldview. But I struggled with how little the story seemed to question that imbalance. Even when Aria finally pushes back, the resolution felt more like everyone explaining their perspectives than actually addressing the consequences of their behaviour. Understanding someone's intentions doesn't automatically invalidate someone else's feelings.

At times, it almost reminded me of a roleplaying campaign where all the NPCs are overpowered, have most of the answers and seem to control the direction of the plot. Aria certainly has opinions and makes choices, but I kept wondering how much influence she actually had over her own story.

And then there's the sheer amount of setup. Family mysteries, faerie storylines, cults, villains and complicated relationships, all with potentially interesting implications, but very little that felt satisfactorily resolved. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with cliffhangers, but I'm perfectly happy with them when at least some of a book's arcs reach a meaningful conclusion. Here, it often felt like complications and consequences just kept piling up, mostly on Aria, without much payoff.

Which is a shame, because there's clearly plenty of imagination behind Starfall. I enjoyed the combination of historical fantasy, folklore and magical politics, and I can see the appeal for readers who love atmospheric, lore-heavy worlds. I just wish the story had spent a little less time introducing things that might become interesting later, and more time exploring the things that were already happening.

Three stars for an intriguing world that I wanted to enjoy more than I ultimately did.

Recommended for readers who enjoy the alternate-history magic of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke and the magical politics and parallel worlds of A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab.

I was gifted an ARC of Starfall by Hodder & Stoughton (Hodderscape) via NetGalley.

[Veronika B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, that was an unexpected ride, and it was this close to being my Book of the Year.

First and foremost, thank you to #NetGalley, #Hodderscape and #Jamie Cass for the ARC.

Starfall is set in an alternative 1830s Oxford, where magic exists alongside humans. Jamie Cass creates a richly imagined world filled with humans, Fae and a whole host of magical creatures.

You’ll encounter creatures and terms from British mythology, including the Unseelie and Seelie Courts, Morgana’s Mark, sphinxes hiding out in libraries and hunting mice, and even Mother Shipton (who I absolutely had to Google).

I also loved how Cass takes elements we know from history and twists them into this alternate timeline. The Napoleonic Wars, for example, involved magic users, as well as a devastating attack on London that ultimately led to Oxford becoming the new capital.

When I first started reading, I couldn’t help thinking: Is this basically a book version of Carnival Row? And honestly… I was here for it.

I had such a fun time with this book. It has fantastic dark (and) academia vibes, and I loved the way how the magical elements are woven into the story. The characters are complex, with fascinating backstories and motivations.

Our main character, Aria, is fleeing a traumatic incident and hopes Oxford will give her the fresh start she needs to begin studying the arcane. Naturally, things don’t go quite according to plan. Her journey becomes increasingly complicated as hidden factions, old secrets and the aftermath of a devastating war begin to intertwine.

I was genuinely devastated when I learned why Aria had left her home on the Isle of Skye. Having visited Scotland several times myself, I immediately added Dunvegan to my list for my next trip.

And then there’s the villain. I won’t name names because that would be a massive spoiler. Let’s just say… I was SHOCKED. Around 80% in, I finally figured out who he was, and I immediately needed to know why. At first, I thought we might be heading toward the familiar “the villain’s grievances against an unjust system actually make a lot of sense, so the story has to make them go too far” trope. Thank you for writing this out (see the another review of Quinn).

But there is so much more going on here.

I’m genuinely excited to see where the second book takes his storyline and whether there’s any chance of redemption.

And finally: THANK YOU for not giving in to a love triangle 🙌 or something similar.

It’s marketed as dark (I would add “and “ in there) academia, and it actually is. Yes, there’s a little romance, but romance is definitely not the main trope here. I was actually surprised when we got a hand-holding moment and a kiss because, honestly, that’s pretty much it, and I appreciated it SO much.

The pacing and plot were well done, and having the entire story centred around Oxford added another wonderful layer of atmosphere. It’s a page-turning fantasy that feels refreshingly different, and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re looking for something with dark (and) academia, Fae, magic and a fascinating alternate history.

I also really enjoyed Cass’s lyrical writing style. I know it won’t be for everyone, but I thought it suited the story beautifully and brought Aria’s Oxford to life.

However, there was one major issue for me: the editing.

The amount of misspellings and errors genuinely threw me out of the story. And I mean… Icannotreadlikethis.

This is ultimately why I’m taking off one star. I really, really hope these issues are fixed before publication, because otherwise this could easily have been a five-star read for me.

[donutdot · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc!!

4.5/5☆ rounded up!!

it's astounding that jamie cass is a debut author. his writing is lyrical and you can feel the passion put into it. rarely am i taken in by historical settings but this gaslamp fantasy captured my attention from the beginning and didn't let go. i loved how immersive this is, especially the setting of oxford (which i hope to visit someday!!) as well as that of the fantasy world mixed with real life historical events. personally i don't know the details of ww1 or the london fire but adding magick to it? i am intrigued!!!

the story follows our fmc aria as she arrives at oxford to study magick under professor ashcroft, following a tragic incident that unlocked her powers and chased her from home. i liked seeing how determined she is and actually seeing her learn magick from zero was entertaining and i couldn't help rooting for her. from her first unwilling kill to helping ashcroft hold back a raging fire and everything her journey is a satisfying one and promises much more.

the plot starting with her making a deal with lesser faerie scail to find her bags leading her to have to chase a murderer might not be the most original idea for a fantasy but i really enjoyed the execution of it. her working with professor ashcroft who is trying to teach her to control her magick, i really liked their working relationship. you can see they care for each other (and thank god it's not a romantic thing here) even amidst suspicion and betrayal of each other. their mentor/mentee relationship is straight out of the y2k dystopian era peak in the best way and i'm crossing all my fingers that both of them survive this series.

also, i gotta say, thank you jamie cass for not turning henry/aria/rian into a love triangle. i would have rioted. i liked aria, rian and livia's dyanmic as a friend group, rian being the carefree guy who's all smiles and livia as her academic rival who also enjoys her company. i'd hoped we got to see more of them because once the plot picked up, they barely hung out together (which is understandable).

i think henry dawson might have broke my heart. genuinely he was such a sweetheart in the beginning, asking aria out but so careful not to overstep with being too forward. it's a very tentative courting between them and i liked seeing the slowburn romance slowly unfold. i liked that it's not the clothes ripping fire we always see in fantasy nowadays, but a slow simmer that never really got the chance to boil over after the first time they kissed. (yes all they did was go to a winter festival, stduy together, hold hands and kiss once) my favourite part was when he got her a locket with a painting of her hometown inside for christmas.

spoilers here!!! i might have suspected henry was involved with the whole leshy murder and gathering of ingredients thing from around halfway through the book. for someone so shy and constantly being stepped over by others, he sure is vocal about his radical thoughts re the government/department/war when he speaks to aria. honestly his hate being what easily turned him to the children of london and their blood magick was devastating, especially when he's possessed??? please they gotta save him TT

"i think he was pointed at us like a rifle and fired." the chils i got.

starfall is book 1 in this series and i genuinely cannot wait for the future installments!!

[Sahar.a · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was able to get the e book arc through @netgalley by Hodder& Stoughton.

I would to thank Hodder& Stoughton on letting me read this arc early, this was one book I was so intrigue to read after reading its premise.

I had mixed feelings about this book between it being 3.8 or 4 stars, because the overall book was really good but there were upsetting themes for me as person that made me not give it a lower rating this me 5 stars.
So, I would say this book at true form is a dark academia, because the upsetting themes made it a bit intense to read, such as themes of child labour and extreme levels of poverty, which was probably prevalent around 1830s Oxford.
So i would definitely keep in mind before reading this book.

Due to this book being based in Oxford university that made it heavy on the academia side, which was nice to be transported into 1830s university of Oxford and its vibes.
This book did showcase Oxford city throughout this book and the realities of it.
At the start of the book you will definitely get to know aria the main charcter family life and her background and what she is up against in life.
Luckily we see aria come across professor Ashcroft on scene of a murder and their paths cross and it be aria chance to study magick at Oxford.

I found it quite magically on how descriptive and atmospheric the author was when describing Oxford university and the diffrent locations within the campus, so I really felt I was transported into Oxford university.

It was so interesting to include fae into the book and how they were added into a time of 1830s britain.
I really loved seeing aria life as a student studying at Oxford and her day in the life and her struggles.
Loved seeing the dynamic she had with professor Ashcroft, both worked together as team to help solve a murder they are told to help in.

When seeing everything with aria it broke my heart with what she had to go through poor background and family facing extreme poverty and she is burden with responsibility and things just not going well with her.
She worked so hard and was so badass really finding her way to get out of a bad suitation and make something of herself by creating an opportunity for herself and asking professor Ashcroft to help her study at Oxford to study magick.
I am glad how professor Ashcroft treated aria well she was charcter because she deserved someone to look out for her.

[Iman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it takes some genuine writing skill to be able to write female characters. Often times authors shoot to write a balanced [female] character, but land on either extreme; either they are overly brash and confident, or so meek, that they seem to cower from their own shadow. Jamie Cass, in my opinion, has already nailed this balanced approach with Aria Shaw, our main character in Starfall (especially for a debut book!). Neither did he make her infallible, nor imperfect, and each chapter we saw Aria change and learn through each of her experiences. I think she is a very well-written, and most importantly balanced character. And perhaps my favourite (admittedly minor) part of Aria is her willingness to reach out and create a community for herself.

I think this book had a very unique take on the “traumatic event awoke magic in you” trope, and though my initial thoughts were that the magic (or magick if you prefer) system was too complex, the explanations in the book were sufficient enough. I think the author expected the reader to fill in clues faster than context was actually given in the book, but I personally didn’t mind this. If anything, it gave an opportunity for the mystery to grow, and made it hard to guess what was going to happen, but consequently, sometimes big reveals went over my head and I had to figure out why the characters were reacting so strongly.

With that being said, the world and character building in this first book is marvellous, and I think Cass has left so much room to explore and expand, even for minor characters. It’s beautifully moody, and really hits that dark academia vibe. I think this book is an incredible start to the series, and cannot wait for the release of the next book.


"Still human. I still cry for the dead. Even if I’m to blame. Still human. Just about."

[katrina カトリーナ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for granting my wish to read Starfall!

As an avid fantasy and dark academia reader, it felt so natural to reach for Starfall. Set in Oxford following the Napoleonic Wars, Starfall follows Aria Shaw as she, essentially, experiences continual trauma. Said trauma includes, but is not limited to, leaving home, losing close friends, being thrown into the complete unknown, academic pressure, and trust issues...

The atmosphere and world is incredibly vivid. Its clear that the author understands the setting -- makes sense, Jamie Cass is indeed a history teacher near Oxford! This, coupled with the more "traditional" take on fae, Seelie and Unseelie Courts, drew me in and had me looking for the tiny details that might show up later. Never strike a bargain you can't handle with a fae, right?

The middle portion of the book did feel a bit slower than I would have liked, but that did not take away from the overall reading experience. (Not every book needs to be high stakes all the time!) I'm curious to see what happens next, as Starfall is known to be the first book of a trilogy. To further contextualize the 3 stars -- for me this equals a good book, but not one I'm interested in rereading.

Overall, for those who truly enjoy fantasy, historical settings, and a protagonist with grit, I'd recommend picking this one up!

[Jack Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for providing me with a review copy of this text in exchange for an honest review.

Starfall is a Dark Academia novel set in Oxford in the year 1830. I'm not well versed with this genre but upon seeing both the cover art and reading the premise, I found myself intrigued and interested by it.

Firstly I love the main character Aria, she's headstrong and feisty and is absolutely a protagonist that we can rally behind. And her relationship with Scail is a really interesting one that develops as the story goes on.

One slight issue I found was that I found events to be slightly predictable and many characters went down the route I kind of suspected as I read. Also as a reader who has not read a lot of Dark Academia fiction in the past, I did find my interest lost at certain points in the novel - but this is not a negative to the story purely my style of reading!

Overall I found Starfall to be a very well crafted novel with a universe that could be developed in further books should it do so! I believe most people will find this book to be enjoyable and worth their while reading!

Many Thanks to NetGalley and Hodderscape books again for providing me with a copy of this book to review and give honest opinions about.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starfall is set in an alternative 1830's Oxford, where magic exists along side the familiar, including my beloved Bodleian - this Bod has a resident sphinx which I would be completely on board with.

Jamie creates a richly imagined world filled with humans, Fae and a host of magical creatures, including winged horses flying amongst the spires of the city.

Our heroine, Aria, is fleeing from a traumatic incident and hopes Oxford will give her a new start to begin her studies in the arcane. Her journey becomes more complicated as hidden factions and lingering secrets all intertwine in the shadow of a devastating war.

The lyrical writing brings Aria's Oxford to life, the magical systems are clearly explained making it easy to get completely immersed in the story.

Atmospheric fantasy, historic locations and engaging world building - what's not to love.

I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity read this as an advance copy, I also have my physical copy on preorder and am looking forward to reading it again in January.

Congratulations Jamie on a fantastic debut, I can't wait for the next installments.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great start to a historical fantasy series!

My favourite thing about it was definitely the atmospheric Oxford setting. (So much so, I'm planning a cheeky get away to Oxford with my partner 😅) The author does an amazing job building an alternate war-torn Oxford, mixing great dark academia vibes with UK folklore/ fae.The whole world feels super well-researched. I found myself doing a bit of extended reading for myself because I was so interested in learning more.

It has more of a YA vibe than I had anticipated if I'm honest, but the execution is so much fun and in some ways I'm glad it wasn't my usual cup of tea in regards to dark academia!

The pacing starts out a bit slow to build up that rich atmosphere... but the plot really kicks into gear in the second half. The characters are complex and have great backstories.
Even though the big villain reveal at the end wasn't a total shock, the journey was totally worth it!

I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the next installment.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Aria is a student hoping to apprentice in magic to Professor Ashcroft in Oxford, after she has had to flee her family home. In the sky, hangs a red star which is an ominous omen and could fall at any moment. The world of Oxford is quick to embroil her not only in her studies, but a murder mystery involving the fae.

I really enjoyed a lot of this book. While the beginning and set up to the story is slow, Jamie Cass paints an image of an alternate Oxford that is shattered and recovering from a war and trying to rebuild Aria is a plucky character. She does suffer a bit from Mary Sue syndrome in that she is a special person who has these abilities others don't have. But I do think the author handles it well and she does have other flaws that balance it out.

The second half of the story really started to pick up and suddenly I couldn't put the book down! I Am really looking forward to the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC

[Laura Incollingo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was phenomenal!
The world building was definitely my favourite part, it is such a cool and "believable" blend of history, fantasy and politic!
I also liked the characters, including the too head-strong protagonist, Aria. It is a character archetype that sometimes I found frustrating but I didn't mind her and it worked within the context of the story.
The overall plot is intriguing and kept me guessing.
Also, it is so refreshing to finally see a dark academia book where it is not just an aesthetic but there is really a realistic academy setting and people that actually study in it.
Overall it is a very strong debut novel and I am excited about what comes next.

I am very grateful to Netgalley, Hodder escape and the author Jamie Cass for providing me with an earc and the opportunity to read this in advance!

[Katy Harper · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so excited to be granted this book because I love British fantasy, and loved the idea of a new Oxford fantasy, but unfortunately Starfall was almost a DNF for me as I just didn’t get Aria. Many of her decisions didn’t make much sense to me, and her friendships and relationships were really bland. I’m not much older than Aria so I expected to hard relate to her but she seemed sooo young for her age.

I made myself keep going with the read because I didn’t want to fail to review, and started wondering if it’s a men writing women issue or something because the plot and world building and all that were fine. But I need to be swept along by 3-dimensional characters who makes me feel something and instead I just felt frustrated by her blandness, I’m sorry.

But thank you to the author and publisher for giving me this NetGalley arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Winona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Starfall! I think it's a really solid set up to a fantasy series-- I have so many questions still left but just enough answered that I'm content with how book one was wrapped up. I will admit it took me a little while to get into it from the start. Aside from the first chapter or two, the pacing did seem on the slower side with far more questions than answers as concerns the worldbuilding (I was also maybe expecting more fae... sooner), but it really did kick into gear in the second half. I also had a great time reading the more traditional approach to fae! I think Jamie Cass nailed the atmosphere. The writing of the setting and the foreshadowing were excellent and I could always get a really clear picture of each scene. I'm really looking forward to book two!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Elena M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this arc!

I had a really fun time with this book. It has great dark academia vibes and I also enjoyed the fae and magic elements underpinning the story. Additionally, the characters in this book were complex and had interesting back stories. The pacing and plot were also well-done and the entire book being set in Oxford really added an additional layer of atmosphere. Highly recommend if you are looking for a page-turning fantasy novel.

[karla JR · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is quite an interesting debut novel, and I particularly enjoyed the magic system that was presented; it's quite unique. My only significant issue with the book is that it required some time for me to truly connect with and develop a liking for the character Aria. The combination of fantasy and mystery elements presented in the story was also quite intriguing. Initially, the beginning part felt rather slow-paced, but I believe it was the kind of book that improved significantly as the narrative developed further. Thank you to the publisher for providing access to this book.

[Angela Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a master piece of writing set in my favourite era this book book is so good the mix of the historical side and fantasy side is so well written I am so glad I got to read this thank you

[Cate J · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

Jamie Cass’ debut, Starfall, is an atmospheric read featuring extensive world-building of both the magical and political varieties. It’s set in an Oxford which won’t be familiar to those who know the city of dreaming spires, as this is Oxford as a cesspit of a city. England’s capital, in fact, and suffering the ensuing political and environmental ramifications. It’s also full of all manner of magical creatures, including the fae. Though, much as this is not an Oxford we recognise, this is not the fae as we know them.

Starfall is billed as dark academia for adults. But (in what is becoming rather a recurring theme for this review) I’m not convinced that fans of this burgeoning sub-genre will find many of their beloved elements here. In fact, it repeatedly struck me while I was reading that the readers who would find the most appeal in this are teenagers. And curiously, particularly teenage boys, though the protagonist, Aria, is a young woman.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.